Methods and devices are used to capture distant moving objects, such as flying objects, and to track their flight paths. In the course of this target tracking, the entire device, or at least an aiming system of said device is moved to follow the flight path of the target object so that said target object can be reproduced as constantly as possible at a location of the image capturing device. Tracking errors are associated with this following method, manifesting themselves as “juddering” of the image, for example. Moreover, imaging errors can also be caused by atmospheric turbulence. Higher order imaging aberrations can also occur, thereby limiting the achievable optical resolution of the image displayed on the image capturing device.
In order to correct these deficiencies, it is already known to analyse the angular offset of the object displayed on the image capturing device, and to shift at least one first optical correcting element in the receiving optics units as a function of the result of this analysis. This shift of the first optical correcting element takes place in a closed control circuit with the analysis of the angular offset. Such image stabilisation is thus performed using the light of the illumination laser which is reflected by the target object.
In addition, a second laser is typically provided, which emits laser light of a different wavelength from the wavelength of the illumination laser, and the laser light of which is also aimed at the target object. The light from this second laser which is reflected by the target object is used to compensate for the image resolution limitation caused by the higher order imaging aberrations by providing a wave front sensor to receive said reflected light of the second laser and generate a correction signal, which acts on at least one second optical correcting element in the closed control circuit.